Morning Report for Thursday 19 October 2023

8:58 AM.Despite what the Irish commentators said about Sam Cane's rucking skills, the All Blacks are into the semi finals this weekend.

In just over 48 hours they'll be taking on Argentina for a spot in the… Read more Audio

8:53 AM.The brushtail possum is loathed as a pest by most Kiwis, but loved as a pet by others.

A small number of dedicated possum lovers have invited the marsupials into their homes and their hearts.

Katie… Read more Audio

8:45 AM.Fish and Game say the weather this weekend should make for great salmon and trout fishing.

The freshwater fishing season has been open since the beginning of October but has been dampened by rain.

… Read more Audio

8:42 AM.If you're in the south of Invercargill or the west of Alexandra, there's a good chance your air quality is much worse than people elsewhere in town.

NIWA has mapped outdoor air quality for… Read more Audio

8:38 AM.A free store in Hastings set up to help storm-affected locals is still going strong, eight months after the devastation of Cyclone Gabrielle.

The Hastings Cyclone Hub is a place for people to restock… Read more Audio

8:27 AM.Staff at Taranaki Hospital have set up their own clinic to help colleagues suffering from Long Covid.

It has no funding and relies on physios, occupational therapists, and nurses volunteering to care… Read more Audio

8:24 AM.The Muslim Healthcare Workers Aotearoa group says it condemns the recent bombing of a hospital in Gaza and wants a complete cessation of all violence in the region.

Israel and Palestine have blamed… Read more Audio

8:19 AM.The Federation of Islamic Associations is calling for the government to urgently respond to the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza.

At least 500 people were killed, including children, when… Read more Audio

7:55 AM.The Black Caps have eased past Afghanistan this morning, keeping their perfect record and also boosting their net-run-rate, which could be crucial at the back-end of the tournament.

Batting first… Read more Audio

7:54 AM.A Wellington cyclist who attached a broom to the front of his bike to brush thumb tacks off the cycleway says it was very cost effective.

Reports of thumb tacks appearing on cycle ways have been… Read more Audio

7:49 AM.Around a third of New Zealanders are still working from home in the wake of COVID-19 lockdowns.

That's according to research done by Professor Jarrod Haar, associate dean of research at the… Read more Audio

7:47 AM.A victims' advocate says a Supreme Court hearing about name suppression on Thursday could set an important precedent.

The case centres around a man who pleaded guilty to sexual offending against six… Read more Audio

7:35 AM.A left-wing activist thinks the Greens and Te Pāti Māori could surpass Labour at the next election if it doesn't get its act together. 

Preliminary results show Labour's share of the vote has almost… Read more Audio

7:25 AM.The All Blacks have made two changes to the team that beat Ireland for Saturday's Rugby World Cup semi-final against Argentina in Paris Sam Whitelock replaces Brodie Retallick at lock and Mark Tele'a… Read more Audio

7:22 AM.New Zealand's Muslim and Jewish communities are on edge as the Israel-Gaza conflict escalates.

The war's ripple effects have so far been contained to small - and relatively peaceful - protests here… Read more Audio

7:15 AM.US President Joe Biden is in Israel on an extraordinary high-stakes trip as the region is gripped by violence in the aftermath of Hamas' attacks and Israel's subsequent response.

Israel has vowed to… Read more Audio

6:48 AM.One of the country's Great Walks - the 82-kilometre Heaphy Track, in the West Coast's Kahurangi National Park - is fully reopening on Thursday.

It's been more than a year-and-a-half since a storm… Read more Audio

6:22 AM.The Colin Elsey Shield is a non-contact rugby tournament that has been organised at every Rugby World Cup since 1991 in honour of British sports photographer, Colin Elsey, bringing together media and… Read more Audio

6:18 AM.The head of the country's spy agency says it's keeping a close watch for any threats of violence here as the Israel Hamas war worsens.

The Five Eyes bosses have been meeting in San Francisco with the… Read more Audio

6:12 AM.The tension in the Middle East has risen since an explosion at a hospital in Gaza City yesterday killed up to 500 people.

The Israeli and Palestinian sides have blamed each other for the blast, which… Read more Audio